Perforated tubing is used to facilitate extraction of hydrocarbons from a formation zone. To extract the hydrocarbons, a bore is drilled down to and through the formation zone, and a section of tubing is lowered down into the bore. The annulus between the tubing and the wall of the bore is sealed above and below the zone by packers. The tubing is pre-perforated/slotted permitting hydrocarbons stored in the formation to enter the production tube and be recovered to surface.
Whilst this method of extraction is widely used, it does have drawbacks. For example, when the zone stops producing hydrocarbons and, for example, starts delivering water to the production tube, the section of perforated tube associated with that zone needs to be isolated so that the production tube can still be used to recover hydrocarbons from other formation zones. This isolation procedure can be a difficult and time-consuming process and often involves locating a sleeve on the internal surface of the perforated tube to seal the zone.